For Valerie Bertinelli, a healthy diet and active lifestyle are the only things she needs to maintain her 40-pound weight loss!

Sounds easy, right?

Well, it might be easier these days, but that was before she conquered her food addiction problem!

Here's what she had to say:

“I used food as a crutch,and I abused food in a way that I shouldn’t have. And it made me afraid of food for a while, too, but now I embrace it. [Using drugs] wreaked havoc on [my body], because one day I’m eating a healthy meal and the next day I’m just putting a bunch of white powder up my nose. I was never really addicted to drugs. That’s why it was so easy for me to stop. But food is a whole other thing.”

That's such a bold thing to say, but maybe it really was the case for her. She continued:

“[I thought] I’m not worth being treated well anyway, so I’ll just treat myself even worse. I’m so glad I’m not that person anymore. I’m a master at losing weight. I’ve done it almost my whole life. I’ve lost weight. I’ve gained it back. I’ve lost weight, and I gained it back. This is the very first time in my life that I have kept this much weight off for as long as I have.”

“It’s an old cliché, but you really do get better as you age. I wish I had the body and the face of that 20-year-old [but] I’m so glad I don’t have her brain. I feel more settled and informed than when I was that age. Everything was about ‘What do people think of me?’ Now I’m calmer. Hopefully, I’ve gotten a little more grace.”

So what did she do to lose the weight and keep it off? She runs five days a week and has cut her calories from 1,700 to 1,200. In nine months Bertinelli went from a 172 pounds to 132 pounds — and has kept it off.

SO FAB!

This should be a simple inspiration for everyone out there, especially those who aren't struggling with food addiction. It really comes down to activity and math!